The present inventors have developed a cable protection and guide device 500, as shown in FIG. 18, in which a number of pairs of spaced right and left side plate portions 510 are connected to each other from a mounting fixed end to a mounting movable end. Connecting arms 540 are respectively bridged over a flexional inner circumferential side and a flexional outer circumferential side of said side plate portions 510 at required intervals and a cable is accommodated in a cable accommodating space surrounded by the side plate portions 510 and the connecting arms 540 from the mounting fixed end toward the mounting movable end. The side plate portions 510 each have a link module with integrally molded side plates 522 and a number of coupling portions 524. Flexible coupling arms 526 extend from the coupling portions 524. Stopper links 530 are engaged between the adjacent side plates 522. Stopper links 520 are assembled to the coupling portion 524 by a snap-fit mechanism. The link module 520 has a male connecting plate 527 and a female connecting plate 528 which are respectively connected to other link modules 520. The male connecting plate 527 and the female connecting plate 528 are each formed in the same outer shape as that of the side plate 522 when respectively connected together. See, Japanese patent application No. 2007-247648.
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
However, in the above-mentioned conventional cable protection and guide device, mounting means at a mounting fixed end and a mounting movable end are not provided. Thus mounting brackets which mount a mounting fixed end and a mounting movable end, must be provided. A mounting method for a cable protection and guide device was heretofore troublesome. Further, since the whole length of the conventional cable protection and guide device cannot be adjusted with a finer resolution other than a unit of length of link modules, a plurality of link modules having different lengths were provided. Thus, the parts management load is increased and the number of molds increases as well resulting in higher manufacturing costs.
Accordingly, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems. The object of the present invention is to provide a general purpose mounting bracket, which can be easily mounted onto a cable protection and guide device. Thus, the invention provides a cable protection and guide device of a specific desired length without the need for link modules of different length.
Means for Solving the Problems
The invention attains the above-mentioned objects. A cable protection and guide device includes link modules having a number of pairs side plates are connected to each other from a mounting fixed end to a mounting movable end. Connecting arms are respectively bridged over a flexional inner circumferential side and a flexional outer circumferential side of the side plate portions at required intervals and a cable is accommodated in a cable accommodating space surrounded by the side plate portions and the connecting arms from the mounting fixed end toward the mounting movable end. The side plates are formed as part of a link module. The link module includes integrally molded side plates connected with coupling portions. Flexible coupling arms extend from the coupling portions. Stopper links are engaged between adjacent side plates from a cable accommodating space side and are assembled to the coupling portion by a snap-fit mechanism. The link module has a male connecting plate and a female connecting plate connected to other link modules. The respective ends of the male connecting plate and the female connecting plate when connected are each formed in the same outer shape as that of the side plate. A bracket joint includes the coupling portion at one end of the bracket joint and the male connecting plate or female connecting plate at the other end thereof. The bracket joint is connectable to the link module.
The bracket joint includes as many link plates and coupling portions as is necessary. The number of coupling portions is controlled by cutting the coupling arm of the link module at a required length position. Mounting brackets are positioned at the mounting fixed end and the mounting movable end. The mounting brackets each engage with the coupling portion which exists at one end of the bracket joint. The coupling portion is fitted to the mounting bracket by a snap-fit mechanism.
It is noted that the language “side plates of a required number” in “the side plate portions each have a link module with integrally molded side plates of a required number through coupling portions and flexible coupling arms extended from the coupling portions” in the present invention contains an instance, example or case where there may be zero “0” side plates. That is, a link module which is a component of the present invention includes a male connecting plate and a female connecting plate which connects a respective coupling to the mounting brackets and the plates are connected to each other.
Effects of the Invention
According to the cable protection and guide device of the present invention, link modules include a number of pairs of spaced right and left side plate portions connected to each other from a mounting fixed end to a mounting movable end. Connecting arms are respectively bridged over a flexional inner circumferential side and a flexional outer circumferential side of the side plate portions at required intervals. A cable is accommodated in a cable accommodating space surrounded by the side plate portions and the connecting arms from the mounting fixed end toward the mounting movable end. A link module includes side plate portions integrally molded together by coupling portions. Flexible coupling arms extend from the coupling portions. Stopper links each engage between the adjacent side plates from a cable accommodating space side and are assembled to the coupling portion by a snap-fit mechanism. The link module has a male connecting plate and a female connecting plate. The male connecting plate and the female connecting plate are each formed in the same outer shape as that of the side plate when respectively connected to a female connecting plate and a male connecting plate of the adjacent link module. The connection strength between link modules is increased and at the same time the wall thicknesses of the male connecting plate and female connecting plate are equal to each other.
The device has a bracket joint which includes the coupling portion at one end of the bracket joint and the male connecting plate or female connecting plate at the other end thereof. The bracket joint is connectable to the link module. The number of the coupling portions is controlled by cutting the coupling arm of the link module at a required length position. The whole length of the cable protection and guide device can be precisely set without increasing the number of parts as explained above. The device has mounting brackets positioned at the mounting fixed end and the mounting movable end. The mounting brackets each engage with the coupling portion which exists at one end of the bracket joint. The coupling portion is fitted to the coupling portion by a snap-fit mechanism.
The cable protection and guide device includes a number of pairs of spaced right and left side plate portions connected to each other from a mounting fixed end to a mounting movable end. Connecting arms are respectively bridged over a flexional inner circumferential side and a flexional outer circumferential side of the side plate portions at required intervals. A cable is accommodated in a cable accommodating space surrounded by the side plate portions and the connecting arms from the mounting fixed end toward the mounting movable end. The side plate portions each have a link module with integrally molded side plates interconnected by coupling portions and flexible coupling arms extended from the coupling portions. Stopper links are engaged between the adjacent side plates from a cable accommodating space side and assembled to the coupling portion by a snap-fit mechanism. The link module has a male connecting plate and a female connecting plate which are respectively connected to link modules. The male connecting plate and the female connecting plate are each formed in the same outer shape as that of the side plate when respectively connected to a female connecting plate and a male connecting plate of the adjacent link module. The cable protection and guide device has a bracket joint which includes the coupling portion at one end of the bracket joint and the male connecting plate or female connecting plate at the other end thereof connectable to the link module. The length of the device is controlled by cutting the coupling arm of a coupling at a required length. Mounting brackets are positioned at the mounting fixed end and the mounting movable end of the device. The mounting brackets each engage with a respective coupling portion which exists at one end of a respective bracket joint. The bracket is fitted to the coupling portion by a snap-fit mechanism. A general purpose mounting bracket, which is easily mounted, is provided and the whole length of the cable protection and guide device can be precisely set without increasing the number of parts (modules of different length).
Engineering plastic resins such as polyamide 6, polyamide 12, polyamide 46, polyamide 66, polybutylene terephthalate, acryl, polyacetal and the like, which resist flexional strain liable to occur at the time of a flexional operation, exhibit excellent dimensional stability. The stopper link, the connecting arm, the bracket joint and the mounting bracket used in the cable protection and guide device of the present invention are preferably made of these engineering plastic resins. When these components are molded of fatigue resistant resin material in which elastomer or rubber component is mixed with polyamide resin or polybutylene terephthalate excellent dimensional stability is obtained. The elastomer or the rubber component mixed with polyamide resin or polybutylene terephthalate adds flexibility, which resists shock, and the shock resistance and fatigue resistance are excellent. Thus the elastomer or the rubber component is preferably used.